John Lydon: Green Day are a two-bob band

John Lydon has blasted Green Day branding them an insignificant "two-bob" band.

The 'God Save The Queen' hitmaker has lashed out at the American pop-rock group and has accused them of watering down the rock genre he created with his band The Sex Pistols in the 1970s.

Lydon - who is also known as Johnny Rotten - declared his dislike for the band in Rolling Stone magazine, saying: "No, I've never been a fan of them, I just don't understand it. I think it's kind of a tinny, two-bob version of something that was far deeper and carried more significance. And, uh, that for me, as a band, they're not very significant."

Lydon - who is known for his outright politically-lead anthems - inspired a generation, but he just doesn't get Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong.

He added: "They're a mélange. They're closer to Billy Idol than myself."

The Sex Pistols have been a huge influence on modern punk and rock bands with many choosing to cover their most famous track 'Anarchy In The UK'.

But Lydon doesn't think any group has improved on the 1976 original.

He bragged: "I don't think they did it any better than the original, and I don't think that's me being too precious about it either."